The Riverdale Horror Show
by Ghost000Writer
Summary: A Skinwalker, a Seer, a Dola, and a Witch walk into Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe. Why? For the burgers, of course. "You don't move to Riverdale if you're normal." Riverdale AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Just an idea that's been buzzing around in my head for a minute and thought I would finally get it out. I am not abandoning any of my other stories, this just really wanted to be told. So, tell me what you think and if you want me to continue with it. This story is slightly AU so be warned.

Disclaimer: I do not own Riverdale or any of its wonderful characters.

Chapter 1: Best Burgers in Town

Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe was the best dinner in town. In fact, it was the only diner in town. But that didn't stop the older gentlemen from making the best food he could. His actual menu was fairly limited to traditional American fast food, if you asked nicely enough the man would cook just about anything you wanted. Which, considering the extensive diets of the town's inhabitants, that was quite the accomplishment. But if you were to ask Jughead, the burgers were the best.

"Do you actually taste your food, before you swallow Jug?"

Jughead rolled his eyes at his best friend sitting across from him in the booth.

"You're just upset cause your food's not here yet." Jughead said after swallowing.

"I'm starving man." Archie Andrews groaned, his arms wrapping around his stomach. "It feels like I haven't eaten in weeks."

"Just try not to drool on the table," Jughead grinned, "The girls'll be here any second and they are not a fan of the slobber."

"I'm gonna die." Archie pouted dropping his head on the table.

"I'll write a nice obituary for you." Jughead taking another bite of his burger enjoying the meaty taste.

This time Archie was the one glaring.

"There's our favorite Riverdale boys."

Both teens turned to see Betty and Veronica walking to the booth where they were sitting. Well, more like strutting over in Veronica's case.

"What are you saying to distress Archikins so Juggie?" Veronica asked sliding next to Archie in the booth, while Betty carefully sat next to Jughead, gently sliding her arm through his.

"Don't call me Juggie." He told Veronica, but he couldn't help smiling at Betty's action.

"Jughead is taunting me with his burger." Archie groaned, still not lifting his head from the table.

Jughead took another slow bite of his burger.

"Don't be mean." Betty chastised lightheartedly.

"I don't know about you Bets," Veronica said, moving her purse strap off her shoulder, "but I could seriously go for a shake right about now."

"Your wish is my command."

Archie sighed in great relief as Pop Tate appeared with a hot sizzling plate in his hands.

"Thank goodness." Jughead said sarcastically, "I thought Archie was going to pass out on the floor, and I was not going to clean him up."

"You should know by now that your sheep's heart pizza takes a while to prep Archie." Pop chuckled as he watched the football player devour the bloody meat pie, "Plus, the butcher shop only stays open till seven. I had to make Paul a deal for this."

"You are a miracle worker." Archie mumbled around his food.

"I'm Djin, there's a difference."

After the girls placed an order for two classic shakes, one vanilla and one chocolate, Tate walked off and Archie had nearly downed half his pizza.

"I know that this is part of your diet and all," Betty said quickly handing Archie napkins, "but when you're eating hearts, can you try not to get blood all over your face."

"Not all Skinwalkers are messy eaters," Jughead chuckled, "that's just part of Archie's charm."

To his credit, Archie blushed and took the napkins.

"So, I forget again," Veronica said arching her head in curiosity, "what's the difference between Skinwalkers and were wolves?"

"Not much," Betty supplied as Archie continued to polish off his dinner, "transfer by bite, vulnerable to silver."

"Who isn't going to die being shot by a silver bullet straight to the heart?" Archie said, clearing off his face. "But she's right, the major difference is that Skinwalkers can control our shifts and they're not tied to the lunar cycle."

"Well, should being a relative term," Jughead added, "Archie's not so good about full transformation. He most just grows claws, gets sharper teeth and a tail. The couple of times he's gone full canine, he was too distracted by a tennis ball to shift back out for two hours."

"Dude!"

"Is there video proof?" Veronica asked with a little too much enthusiasm.

"Alas, the evidence was destroyed in revenge."

"Like I was ever gonna let you keep it."

They spent the rest of the night laughing and talking, like any normal teens would. Like they didn't have the murder of Jason Blossom hanging over their heads like the albatross on the neck of the miserable mariner. They would forget, for a just a little while, that in the morning they would have to go back to their reality. They could pretend for one night, that they were normal.

 **Like I said, just a fun idea that kept pestering me, so please review and tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** I appreciate those of you who have followed this story as well RiverTurnerAnie who favorited this story. Seeing this really made my day and I wanted to thank you for that. So, for your viewing pleasure here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Chapter 2: Calling all the monsters

The next afternoon found Betty Cooper staring at the murder board intently in the Blue and Gold newsroom with Jughead. They were both so focused that the only noise in the room was the sound of the school's old heater trying poorly to warm up the chilly building. Betty looked over the various post it notes and pictures, cringing internally as her eyes glanced over her father's picture before taking in just how many pictures were on the wall. The more evidence they seemed to uncover the more suspects they seemed to add. Guilt and suspicion seemed to be going through Riverdale like a bad case of the flu.

"If you two stare at the board any longer, you're going to go blind."

Betty jumped as Veronica and Kevin suddenly appeared in the doorway. She quickly smiled while Jughead's face remained stoic, despite the surprise.

"Well, we're hoping that if we stare at it long enough, the killer will magically reveal themselves." Jughead replied with a sarcastic smirk.

"Can't you just… you know?" Kevin asked, placing a couple fingers on his head gesturing to Jughead.

Betty winced as Jughead rolled his eyes, "The powers that be aren't exactly on speed dial. Besides I don't see you out in the forest asking the trees who did it."

Kevin threw his hands up in mock surrender and Jughead groaned, slinging his backpack on his shoulders. "I better go, I promised Archie I'd go with him to check on his dad at the construction site."

Betty happily accepted a kiss from Jughead before watching him leave out the door. Veronica moved to stand next to her while Kevin leaned on the table in front of the board.

"You guys doing all right?" Veronica asked.

Betty nodded, "Jughead just feels bad that he can't do anything more to help. But even if he could, it's not like Seer visions are particularly clear."

"It's so weird," Veronica said putting a stray hair back behind her ear, "I mean when my mom said we were moving to Riverdale, she said that the people here were welcoming when it comes to the supernatural, but I didn't expect everyone I met to be so…"

"Freaky?" Kevin supplied.

"I was going to say special."

"Doesn't sound much better." Betty said with a bitter laugh.

"Hey, I have no room to judge." She replied, snapping her fingers before her favorite nail file appeared in her right hand. "But I'm more used to your garden variety witches and wiccans, not Skinwalkers, Seers, dryads, and well, what exactly are you again Betty?"

"A Dola." Betty explained. "A Slavic spirit charged with keeping heroes in line with their destinies."

"And you guys turn into cats, right?"

"I haven't gone full feline since I was eleven." Betty chuckled. "But yes, we can transform into cats."

Betty looked back at the board remembering back to the first time she did transform into a cat. It was one of the few times in her life that she felt free, and at the same time filled with an undeniable sense of purpose.

"So, you guys go around making sure the good guys are still doing honorable deeds, right?" Veronica asked.

"My ancestors did," Betty replied, "a long time ago. But the closest to that I've come is maybe a little matchmaking."

"Not that it's ever helped our love lives." Kevin joked.

"I dabbled a little myself in love potions back in the day." Veronica said a little proudly, "I wasn't half bad either."

"Tell me you still have some." Kevin begged jokingly.

"Why, things rocky with you and the Joaquin?" Veronica asked her eyebrows arching suggestively.

"No, no everything's fine," Kevin quickly amended, "except for the fact that I can't bring my boyfriend home to meet my dad."

"Is this because of the serpent thing or because the half vampire thing?" Betty asked with genuine concern for her friend's relationship struggle.

"Whoa, back up here," Veronica said standing up and squaring off against their male friend, "tell me you are not living in a Stephanie Meyers novel!"

"He's only half vampire." Kevin countered, "He can walk out in sunlight and doesn't light up like a disco ball."

Betty tried to listen to Kevin and Veronica argue, knowing that this was important to her friend who had been there for her many times, but she found her mind drifting back to the board. It seemed like they were getting nowhere with Jason's murder and almost everyone else seemed to be completely okay with that. Even she was falling back into her daily routines, only now she had her grades, cheerleading, the blue and gold, trying to do everything she could to help Polly and her mom and sleuthing on top of being one of the supernatural residents of Riverdale. Most days it was all she could do to keep from collapsing in a heap of exhaustion. She knew that if she didn't stay on top of things, it would be way too easy to slip into her spiritual form without even realizing it.

"Hello? Ground Control to Major Tom?"

Betty was quickly brought out of her thoughts, noticing that her head had been sliding down where she had it rested on her arm.

"I'm sorry what?" she quickly responded looking up at the concerned faces of Veronica and Kevin.

"Bets, you seriously need some sleep." Kevin said worriedly. "This case is going to drive you insane."

"I have to find out who did this Kev." Betty replied. "This whole thing has torn my family apart and I can't let the murderer get away with everything they've done."

"What about Kevin's dad and the sheriff's department?" Veronica asked both to Betty and Kevin, "I mean they're still looking into it right?"

"Of course," Kevin said quickly defending his father, "but with practically everyone in town having motive, it's not exactly easy. Especially with the Blossoms being so uncooperative."

"I thought they wanted Jason's killer found?" Veronica asked.

"Not if it means dragging out all their dirty laundry." Betty shook her head sadly knowing all to well that the family of vixens had a lot to hide. "As bad as Cheryl is at school, her whole family has a history of viciousness."

"That's one way of looking at it."

The three of them jumped as the phrase 'speak of the devil' entered each of their minds. The Queen vixen herself stood in the doorway, lightly tossing her red hair over her shoulder.

"Vixens are proud defenders of justice." Cheryl stated haughtily. "We were called upon in Ancient Greece and as well as other great civilizations to enact the gods' vengeance on those who strayed from the right path."

"Yes, heaven forbid they get a second chance." Kevin said forcefully.

"Whatever tree boy." Cheryl groaned then turned Veronica and Betty, "I just came to let you two know that we're having a team meeting in thirty minutes in the gym to discuss the homecoming pep rally and you both better be there or you're off the team."

And with that she left in a huff as quick as she entered.

"Ain't no rest for the wicked, right?" Kevin chuckled darkly before bidding both his friends' farewell and heading home.

"No rest indeed." Betty thought to herself.

 **AN:** Again, hope you enjoyed and please let me know with a quick review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Hope you guys enjoy this next chapter, Archie is not as easy to write for as I thought he would be.

Disclaimer: I don't own Riverdale, The Archie comics, or anything but the story.

Chapter 3: Howling at the Moon

Archie Andrews stepped out of his truck with Jughead as the sunlight began to dim over his father's construction site. This morning his dad had asked him to run by the hardware store after football practice and bring a couple of supplies down in his truck. Jughead had agreed to accompany him and had a little fun verbally assassinating the Home Depot work when he tried to overprice Archie on a couple of sledgehammers. Archie was used to being seen as the dumb jock by a lot of people and it felt great to know that Jughead had his back, and he hoped that Jughead felt the same. Archie still felt like he needed to prove himself as a good friend after the whole ditching him and basically threatening him during the whole "Grundy" incident. He quickly tried to shake those depressing thoughts as he moved toward his dad's office.

"Hey, I'll catch up with you in a sec." Jughead told him, handing Archie the other hammer before taking off toward the area where the temporary workers were set up on their break.

Archie nodded, assuming Jug was going to check in with F.P. and continued alone into the office. He stepped inside hearing his dad talking on the phone. Archie politely waited until his father was done talking number before greeting him.

"Thanks a bunch kiddo." Mr. Andrews greeted as he took the extra sledgehammers. "Being two short really slowed us down today."

"Glad I could help." Archie shrugged.

Archie noticed a slight strain in his dad's voice, which was unfortunately common these days, but Archie couldn't help but press.

"Everything okay dad?"

"Sure, no everything's good actually." Fred replied running a hand through his short hair. "The numbers are finally evening out thanks to the serpents and Mrs. Lodge."

Archie knew that despite how optimistic that sounded, his dad probably felt like a shepherd using wolves to keep away the mountain lions, just waiting for one to turn and bite him.

"Hey, how about we go for a run tonight?"

Archie was surprised and looked at his dad excitedly, "You mean it?"

Being Skinwalkers meant that Archie and his dad could (in theory) control their transformation into their canine forms. But to maintain a spiritual balance and keep the animal in check they had to take certain dietary precautions, ingesting a few animal hearts now and then, as well as letting the animal spirit out to play. When he was younger and fist learning to control the spirit, his dad would take him for runs in the woods by the lake. They would spend hours just running, letting the cool night wind hit their morphed faces.

"Why so surprised?" Fred asked with a little laugh.

"We just haven't gone on a run in over a year."

His dad let out an audible sigh, "Yeah, I've been letting that slide a little lately."

"It's not your fault." Archie quickly reminded his father. "Things haven't been easy on anyone lately." Not since before the summer anyway. Not since Jason, the Blossoms, the drive in and…her.

"So," his dad continued, "I figured with things being a little calmer as of late, now would be as good as time as any to…get some fresh air, as it were."

"Yeah," Archie replied enthusiastically, "that sounds awesome."

Fred smiled and Archie felt like he was finally getting a break "with his dad. The past few weeks had been stressful on their relationship and Archie couldn't help but hope that this a was a sign of things getting back to normal. A small knock sounded as Jughead walked in,

"I hope I'm not interrupting." He said quietly.

"No, not at all Jughead," Fred said with a warm smile, "Archie and I were just talking about taking a run later tonight. Will you be all right by yourself at the house tonight?"

"Sure." Jug replied with a small smile of his own, "I've got some articles to write for the Blue and Gold. You guys go, howl at the moon or whatever it is you guys do."

The two Andrews men chuckled at the joke, Archie playfully punching Jughead in the arm.

"How about an early dinner then?" Fred asked, "Pizza sound good to anybody else?"

"Sounds great." Archie replied and Jughead nodded in agreement.

"I've gotta file a couple of documents," Fred said standing up, "but I'll meet you guys at the house here in about twenty minutes. Okay?"

The boys nodded and headed out the door. Archie couldn't help but smile widely as he and Jughead got in his truck.

"So, you and your dad going on a run huh?" Jughead asked him as he turned the key in the ignition, "been a while right?"

"Not since I turned fourteen." Archie nodded.

"I think it'll be good for the two of you." His friend agreed. "You could use some time on the wild side."

Archie couldn't help but agree with that, hoping that tonight would be just the fix he needed.

 **AN:** Hope you liked it! Coming next is a Veronica chapter and I am excited to write for her as I love her character on the show. Please Review and tell me what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note** : Hey guys, hope your week has started off all right. Also hope you enjoy this new chapter and get ready for there is more suspense to come. Please Review!

Disclaimer: Let me check…ah…nope still own nothing but the story.

Chapter 4: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Veronica Lodge casually flipped through the pages of an open spell book on the edge of her bed. Her mind was too distracted to comprehend the complex Arcane spells in front of her, but it gave her hands something to do. When her thoughts were restless, so were her hands. Some of her deepest thoughts came while she was simply filing her nails. And right now, there was just too much to think about in Riverdale. Ever since moving here, the suspicions against her family kept rising, and while she was too curious not to investigate, a large part of Veronica wanted to stop now, before she found out anything worse. She knew her dad was a corrupt businessman who had destroyed many lives, but there was still a glimmer of hope in her heart that her father didn't kill Jason Blossom. There came another issue in the temptation to just use magic to find out the truth. To just walk up to the murder board one day, chant a little rhyme or Latin and with a snap of her fingers, know all the answers. But the first rule of any witch was that magic always has consequences.

"Mija dinner's here!" She heard her mother call from across the apartment.

"Okay, I'll be right there." She called back.

She closed the old leather book with a sigh, before making her way to the bathroom to wash her hands. The bathroom was white all over and Veronica couldn't help but smirk at the irony of her family living in a nearly spotless apartment. She started at her reflection in the mirror as she turned the knob for the hot water. Her mind drifted a memory of her abuela. The older witch had warned her of many things, but mirrors were high on the list of things to be wary of. She had told Veronica that not only could they trap lost souls of the house, but that for a witch going through a great turmoil, a mirror could reflect his or her negative nature even driving some witches to insanity. Now Veronica looked at her own image wondering what her darker image would have to say. A few moments later, she realized that the water wasn't coming out of the sink. She tried turning the knob off and turning the cold water on. This lead to the same result. She tried twisting both knobs repeatedly, hearing the water running through the pipes but frustrated as no water was coming out. Suddenly, there was a loud lurching sound and the ring on the faucet burst and a warm liquid began to flood the sink. Veronica's eyes widened and she felt a scream rupture from her throat as she recognized the liquid as blood. She quickly turned the faucet off, wincing as the blood seeped onto her hands and even up to her arms. When it finally stopped, Veronica stared at the vile liquid began to drain down the pipes, staining the white porcelain of the sink. She barely registered as her mom stormed in and started screaming herself. She quickly assured her mother that she wasn't hurt, which in Veronica's mind, meant something much worse. After the regular water came back on in the kitchen sink and Veronica could clean herself off, she went back to the bathroom where her mother was hunched under the sink. Hermione let out a sigh before standing back up, a tiny red bag in her hand.

"Is that what I think it is?" Veronica asked her mother.

"A hex bag." Her mom sighed again, "And a powerful one at that."

Veronica remembered learning about hex bags and how witches would use them on their enemies as a scare tactic. Like most magic and supernatural things, spells were either strengthened or weakened by the emotions that a witch had when casting. As Veronica examined the red cloth in her mother's hand, she could practically feel the anger and resentment radiating from the magical energy.

"Should we call the police?" Veronica asked.

"No." her mother said calmly.

"No?" She asked incredulously, "Mom, you know that these are super illegal. The magic council banned them practically everywhere like a hundred years ago."

"Of course, I know." Her mom replied exasperated. "But sheriff Keller has bigger things to worry about right now than some vengeful old hag playing desperate tricks."

" _Tricks_?!" Veronica couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Mom this is Black Magic we're talking about. Not some stupid kid t-peeing the trees!"

"I know more about black magic than you do Veronica." Her mother said so coldly that Veronica nearly shivered. "And I will handle this."

Veronica wanted to argue with her mother. This wasn't something to be taken lightly. It made her wonder if her mother already knew who it was and just wasn't telling her.

"Are you all right sweetheart?" Her mom asked her voice suddenly full of concern.

"I'll be fine mom." She replied as convincingly as she could. "I just plan on taking a three-hour shower later."

Her mother smiled, but Veronica was sure neither of them believed each other. But they were both locked in a battle of wills and refused to surrender. They ate dinner together, making awkward small talk and Veronica wished that Polly were still staying with them to make some easier conversation. After Veronica finally excused herself to get ready for bed, she made her way to her bedroom and pulled the book on her bed back into her lap, furiously flipping through the pages. This time she was fully enraptured by the book's contents, before texting Betty about the night's events. Despite everything, Veronica smiled at her friend's concern, grateful to have someone genuinely worried for her. She responded that she would be fine and that she would fill in the rest to her and the others at school in the morning.

"R u sure u're ok?" Betty replied.

"You should be more worried about them," Veronica texted back, "after all hell hath no fury like a Lodge witch scorned ;)"

 **AN:** Please review and let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** It's been a minute but I am ready with the next chapter. Thanks a bunch for all the follows as well as the new favorites: ellenbleches0413, Laravtheword, HugglepuffGleek, and big shout out to Cassandra Rose Potter for faving and for the kind reviews. As for your question about my supernatural knowledge, the internet is a wonderful place! And as to your confusion for powers, I will give a quick rundown of all the known powers without going into spoiler territory hopefully. It goes:

Archie and Mr. Andrews: Skinwalkers

Jughead: Seer

Betty and the Coopers: Dola

Veronica and Mrs. Lodge: Witches

Kevin: Dryad

Cheryl and the Blossoms: Vixens

Hopefully that helps a little.

Disclaimer: As I always I own nothing but plot.

Chapter 5: Quoth the Sparrow

Jughead stared at the battered laptop screen frustrated. Words normally came to him naturally, but right now he might as well be the guy writing the warning label on the starbucks cup warning the moron that that coffee inside is probably hot. He rubbed his hands wearily across his face as he sat at the end of Archie's bed. Archie and his dad had taken off shortly after pizza, which allowed Jughead some time to work on his novel. But the more he tried to bring the words together, the more his mind seemed to shut down. It didn't help that there was an annoying chirping sound coming from outside the window. And as the sound got louder, Jug got more and more frustrated. Unable to take it any longer and an attempt to stave off the headache that was threatening to beat into his skull he moved to close the window. As he did however, he realized that the noise didn't stop and seemed to get louder. He looked around the room to see what the noise was and was incredibly surprised to see a bird tweeting in the doorway. Jughead could have sworn that the little brown creature was looking right at him.

"You've got to be kidding me." he mumbled really wishing he were someone else right about now.

The bird continued chirping and flapping trying to keep his attention. Jughead reluctantly moved back toward the window to let the bird outside. As he stood by the open window however, the bird actually looked annoyed and flew back out into the hall. Confused, Jug followed it through the Andrews house and all the way down into the kitchen, where the back door was wide open. He tried to stuff down all the irrational fears running through his head as the bird flew out into the night. He shook his head, knowing full well that it was stupid idea to follow some bird out into the chilly night and yet, his curious nature was overwhelming all his common sense. He stepped outside and suddenly found himself at the edge of Sweetwater River. At the very spot where Kevin and Moose had discovered Jason's body. He should be concerned as to how he somehow teleported from the Andrew's house all the way out to the middle of the woods, but his brain was now focused on the fact that the little sparrow, who had been standing at the river's edge, was now being swarmed by large angry raves. Ten of them to be exact. They were pecking and scratching the pitiful thing cawing at it angrily while the smaller bird cried helplessly. Jughead tried to call out to the them to scare them away, but they ignored him, and as he tried to move forward, he felt a hand tug his wrist back. He turned around, stunned to see Betty, tears in her beautiful blue eyes pleading, "Don't go."

He wanted to agree, he wanted to tell her that if she wanted him to he would stay. But the sparrow kept crying out, it's screams piercing Jughead's ears. He turned around to the birds, but they were gone, all except for the sparrow which now lay dead, surrounded by countless black feathers. He moved closer toward the bird's body which suddenly lifted it's head and in a very eerily familiar voice cried out,

"Help…save… her!"

Jughead tried to scramble back, but suddenly the ravens were back, only now they were swarming around him. They began to claw and peck at his exposed skin, their talons and beaks suddenly becoming as sharp as knives. He cried out as they cut deep and he begged it to stop. He looked beyond the birds and saw them standing on the other side of the river. Archie, Betty, Mr. Andrew, Veronica, they were all just standing there, watching. Jughead tried to call out to them for help, but they just ignored him. The ravens continued with their attack and Jug threw up his arms to try and defend himself. The next thing he knew, the ravens had voices and they were shouting his name.

"Jughead!"

"Shut up!" he yelled back, then tried to get the other's attention, "Betty! Archie! Help Me!"

"Jughead wake up!"

That was Archie's voice, but when Jughead looked over at the other side of the river, the others were gone.

"Jughead c'mon wake up!"

That was Mr. Andrews. Jughead looked around again and this time, instead of seeing the dead sparrow, Jason Blossom's corpse was standing there staring right at him.

"Forsythe!"

Well, that did it.

Jughead shot up frantically, trying to pull away from the hands that were holding his shoulders. Sound and light were muted for a few seconds and it was throwing him off.

"E…y…you're…fe."

Jughead shook his head trying to clear his head, and things finally started to come into focus. He recognized that he was in Archie's room, on the air up mattress that he was using while staying with the Andrews. Archie and Mr. Andrews were staring down at him, still decked out in their skinwalker furs, concern and fear etched on their faces. The weight of the situation finally hit him. He had fallen asleep and left himself wide open for a vision. He groaned sitting up slowly, feeling completely embarrassed and exposed.

"That's it, take it slow Jughead." Mr. Andrews said comfortingly.

"That must have been one hell of a vision." Archie said, removing his hands from his friend's shoulder.

"You're telling me." Jughead sighed.

"You really had us worried."

If Jughead wasn't feeling self-conscious before, he certainly was now. He had always prided himself on being self-sufficient and not being in a position where anyone needed to be worried about him. Even with Betty, he tried to stay busy helping her with Polly and the murder investigation. By focusing on being concerned for her, he didn't have to focus on his own worries for a little while. Now here he was with Archie staring at him with that helpless lost puppy look and Mr. Andrews' face full of a type of concern that if he were honest with himself, he just wasn't used to and the whole thing just made him uncomfortable.

"Juggie, you still with us?"

Jughead shook his head once again before nodding, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You wanna tell us about it?" Archie asked.

Jughead looked at his best friend, remembering vividly what Archie and the others had been doing in the vision and simply replied,

"You're not gonna like it."

 **AN:** Hope you enjoyed it and please REVIEW! Also, are you excited for the new Riverdale Thursday? I know I am!


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note** **: I know, I know it's been too long…sigh. Hopefully you will enjoy this character chapter as Betty is the most difficult to write for in my opinion. I don't know if you can tell or not but I was more of a Jughead in high school…except a girl…and not a seer…and not with nearly as many good one liners. Also shout out to most recent reviewer hugglesbunny, thanks for the awesome review!**

 **Enjoy!**

Chapter 6: The Beast Within

Betty prayed to all the Scandinavian deities that the smell of sage wasn't still on her clothes. Her mother had decided to do another one of her spontaneous "cleansing" rituals and the whole house had been doused with smoked sage while Mrs. Cooper muttered various blessings under her breath. But Betty knew that evil had been at two other houses that night and now she was trying not to have a panic attack waiting for someone to walk through the door of the Blue and Gold office and assure her that they were safe. Her nails might have gone clean through the skin of her palms had Jughead, Archie and Veronica walked just a moment later. Jughead quickly walked toward her and she embraced him as he whispered reassurances to her. Veronica was next on the hug line and so on until she came back around to Jughead, slipping into a comfortable position at his side. Veronica quickly told the story of the hex bag she and her mom found under the sink, which Jughead followed with his vision.

"Well I'd say that's a little more doom and gloom than we needed in our day." Kevin replied dismayed.

"So that Sparrow was meant to be Jason, right?" Betty asked Jug.

He nodded and replied, "Visions aren't usually clear on things and when they are, it's like being psychically slapped in the face…or in this case pecked."

"Yeah what about those crows?" Archie asked, "What was with them?"

"I think it's pretty obvious from the way Jughead was describing it, that at least one of them is the killer." Veronica stated

"Not necessarily." Betty countered, "a majority of seer history is Greek and in most of their myths ravens were seen as messengers."

"More than likely, each of the birds represented someone who played a part in Jason's death. They may not have pulled the trigger, but their actions probably led to it."

Jughead's words settled over the room. Betty's gaze drifted back over to the murder board where Riverdale's citizens were tied together by the red thread of this awful murder. Could all of them be responsible somehow? Her parents might not have shot Jason themselves, but could their actions and decisions still hold them accountable for it?

"What about Jason telling you to 'save her'?" Archie asked.

"He was trying to warn us about Polly." Betty stated nervously, "It's pretty obvious that the Blossoms don't actually care for her, they just want the babies."

Jughead pulled her in a little closer, "Hey, Polly's made of some tough stuff."

"And besides, she wasn't the only 'her' in Jason's life." Veronica added. "There's also Cheryl."

"But why would Jason be worried about Cheryl?" Archie asked, "Do you really think her family would hurt her?"

"If one of the Blossoms killed Jason then what's to stop them from doing the same thing to Cheryl?" Veronica replied. "Or anyone else who might have killed Jason for that matter."

"We still don't even have a motive." Betty said. "Other than the drugs he was running for the serpents, which were still in his car when Jughead and I found it."

"But someone clearly didn't want us connecting the drugs back to him." Jughead offered, "Or they wouldn't have torched it when we left."

"There's also something I've been wondering." Kevin inserted, moving to stand in front of the murder board. "While there are plenty of people in Riverdale who are normal, my dad included, everyone on our suspect list is of the supernatural variety."

"Yeah and?" Archie asked.

"So, why would a supernatural being use a gun to kill Jason?" Kevin asked.

"Maybe they wanted to make it look like someone outside of supernatural community, did it?" Archie suggested.

"Or could we just have our suspect list all wrong?" Betty asked, moving toward the board as well. "I mean we've just been assuming that because these people have motive that it has to be one of them."

She stared hard at her father's picture so full of anger, hurt and worry. The anger that came from every single face staring back at her radiated. The face of Jason Blossom in the middle made her sad for all the loss of potential he and Polly and their future children had. And the faces that surrounded, her friends who were closer to her than her own family right now, worried her. She worried that if they got too close to the real killer that they might not all make it out of this unscathed.

"Betty?"

Betty turned around to see the others staring back at her matching her own look of concern. She put on a reassuring smile.

"Sorry, my mind drifted for a moment." She apologized. "What were you saying?"

"Veronica was saying," Archie supplied, "she thinks that if her father was the one behind Jason's killing that the hex bag might have been a retaliation from the Blossoms."

"But if the Blossoms knew that your dad was behind it why wouldn't they come forward with the evidence." Kevin countered.

"Not if it meant incriminating themselves in my dad's arrest." Veronica argued.

"Why even have your dad arrested in the first place though?" Archie asked, "What could they gain from it?"

"The Drive-In land." Jughead supplied. "Remember Veronica's dad hired the serpents to decrease the value of the land so that her mom could buy it. The question is what's so special about the land?"

"My dad said that the Blossom family used to own it." Archie answered, "Back when they were starting their maple business."

"But they completely demolished the maple trees in the area." Kevin said somewhat bitterly, "My mom wouldn't even talk about it she would get so mad about it."

"Why would they cut down the trees that were making them profit?" Veronica asked confused.

"I can try to see if I can find any old news articles about it," Betty offered, "now that my mom is on board with this whole investigation."

"Don't forget Cheryl's got us pulling extra practices for the homecoming pep rally." Veronica warned, "The last thing you want to do is add to your baggage is a Cheryl freak out."

Betty sighed, lately she was starting to regret agreeing to be a river vixen. Not to mention agreeing to help organize decorating the gym for the dance, coordinating the dance….

"Betty are you okay?"

Betty looked up to see Jughead had moved in front of her, brows furrowed in concern.

"I'm fine," she smiled at him, "just going over my schedule in my head."

Jughead nodded, though he didn't look completely convinced, "Why don't I stop by the Riverdale library after school and see if I can pull up any information on the lot."

"Thanks." Betty said leaning up to give him a small peck on the cheek, causing him to blush slightly and Veronica and Kevin to give her a look. She rolled her eyes at the rest of her friends as the room echoed with the sound of the first bell.

"C'mon guys we're gonna be late." Betty said grabbing her bag. "I'll txt you guys later ok?"

The group agreed and began to make their way out of the room. Betty let everyone else leave first before looking down at the palms of her hands. The small spots of blood from her freshly opened cuts weren't bad enough to need serious bandaging but she would make sure to run by the girl's bathroom before heading toward Pre-Calculus, grateful that no one had noticed. She worried that if this investigation kept up for much longer, she might not be able to cover her freak outs as well.

 **AN: Ok, I need to make a plea to you my loyal readers. I need a Beta Reader in the worst conceivable way. If you are a Beta or know someone who can for a Riverdale or a Big 4 story PM me and with the help I should be able to start getting chapters out faster! Also if you read any of my other stories and are wondering where the next Big 4 chapter is…I will let you know as soon as Hiccup's dialogue stops being clunky and disjointed.**


End file.
